See Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra-inspired ‘Come Fly With Me’ yet?
What happens when you pair an iconic singer with an iconic choreographer on one big stage?
Choreographer Twyla Tharp directed "Come Fly With Me," which opens Sept. 23. AJC/Jason Getz
Sometimes, “Movin’ Out” — Tony Awards, legions of Billy Joel lovers, Broadway, national tours.
Other times, “The Times They Are a-Chang-in.” Critical drubbings, skeptical Bob Dylan fans, microscopic stage runs.
This week, “Come Fly With Me” previews began at Alliance Theatre with that same dance icon, Twyla Tharp, and another music icon: Frank Sinatra. It will open Sept. 23 and continues through Oct. 11. Tharp also will give a pre-show lecture at 6 p.m. Sept. 29.
There’s a built-in audience among Sinatra’s passionate, ageless fans, and equally ferocious fans of Tharp’s work. That doesn’t mean the show is an instant success, but it’s certainly good for Atlanta.
From a Sunday story “Sinatra ‘arias’ inspire Twyla Tharp,”
“This is really unique that Atlanta is hosting a world premiere imagined and created by Twyla Tharp,” said John McFall, the Atlanta Ballet’s artistic director.
Backed by a team of New York producers in collaboration with the Alliance, “Come Fly With Me” is slated to begin a North American tour next summer and could eventually tour internationally.
“Anything is possible,” Tharp said mysteriously.
Here are more perspectives on the show, from the Los Angeles Times and the ArtsCriticATL blog.
For a taste of how Tharp has interpreted Sinatra before, here’s a clip of Alabama Ballet doing Nine Sinatra Songs.
So is “Come Fly” more a “Movin’ Out” or a “Times They Are a-Chang-in?” Fun, beautiful, painful, awkward, tired, jazzy?
What did you think of “Come Fly With Me” previews this week? If you haven’t seen it yet, do you plan to, and why? Share in the comments!
Want to go? “Come Fly With Me” previews run through Sept. 22. Show runs Sept. 23-Oct. 11. $25-$60. Alliance Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-733-5000, www.alliancetheatre.com.
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9 comments Add your comment
6Digitballin
September 18th, 2009
2:31 pm
Any time you meet a payment. – Good Times.
Any time you need a friend. – Good Times.
Any time you’re out from under.
Not getting hassled, not getting hustled.
Keepin’ your head above water,
Making a wave when you can.
Just lookin’ out of the window.
Watchin’ the asphalt grow.
Thinkin’ how it all looks hand-me-down.
Good Times, yeah, yeah Good Times
Keepin’ your head above water
Makin’ a wave when you can
Temporary lay offs. – Good Times.
Easy credit rip offs. – Good Times.
Scratchin’ and surviving. – Good Times.
Hangin in a chow line – Good Times.
Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em – Good Times.
Steve Pascale
September 20th, 2009
9:19 am
I saw the preview last night and must say I was disappointed. Naturally the music was wonderful and the dancers were talented. However, the staging and choreography lacked cleverness. I expected something smart and simple, not crowded and over done. There were too many leaps and fake falls. The stage action was ackward in its attempt to tell a story; it didn’t work. The music demanded dancing that was clever and simple; we got crowded and confusing.
Jamie Gumbrecht
September 20th, 2009
11:23 am
Interesting, Steve. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it. Was it a good-sized crowd?
Ann H
September 20th, 2009
3:09 pm
I saw it Friday night and couldn’t disagree with you more. My daughter is a ballerina and she couldn’t rave about it enough, either. We were very impressed wtih the choreography-as she said, “How do you even IMAGINE bodies doing that”, much less them actually doing it. The music, the band, the lights were all wonderful. It was a lovely tribute to Sinatra and amazing dance as well. The house was packed and the performance earned a standing ovation.
BJ C
September 21st, 2009
5:48 pm
This show really needs an “adult” warning label to let the potential audience know what they are going to see. As the show progressed, more and more clothing came off the dancers. At one point, the male dancers began taking the cloths off the female dancers as well as taking off their own. Then the make-out scenes, then they threw in a lesbian encounter. At that point I just had to walk out of the theater. This had such great potential. The music was fantastic, the dancing extraordinary, but the show was so objectionable morally I could never recommend.
TD
September 22nd, 2009
8:22 am
I can do nothing but recommend this show! I went to the Saturday night preview with some friends and we had a blast. There was nothing more “adult” than what you would see on tv, no foul language, no nudity, just bodies in motion. Found the show to have so many different layers and details that I’m going to go again so I can catch something new that I may have missed before. I found it to be very clever, smart and a wonderful evening at the theater.
Jamie Gumbrecht
September 22nd, 2009
12:10 pm
Thanks for the comments, everyone! Love seeing the variety of perspectives here.
CIP
October 11th, 2009
11:32 pm
Although the talent spilled over everywhere in this production (and we did thoroughly admire it), I have to agree with BJC; this needs a PG13 warning on it. One might think that a Sinatra inspired show would be “family fare,’ but this one strtched the limits. We were fairly uncomfortable having brought some else’s 12 yr. old to the show, not realizing that there would be such sensual content. They might want to tame it down for New York, or warn ticket buyers ahead of time.
Larry
December 6th, 2009
9:34 pm
Cip and BJ C are so ignorant that it is absolutely amazing. I too saw the show and was totally excited by it. I’m a big-band person and this band is absolutely fabulous. It kicks ass and at the same time has a control that is sublime. If Sinatra had that kind of band and that kind of sound quality when he was alive (and don’t think for one minute that sound quality doesn’t make a differnce because it absolutely does), he would have sold even more records! Nelson Riddle and many of the other arrangers were too “sophisticated” in their arrangements and left the music wanting more excitement. This band delivers what the original arrangements did not. And the more kick-ass the drummer can deliver, the more exciting the performaces by the dancers will be.
The dancers were amazing! I have been to a lot of musicals in my time both on Broadway and off and in the movies. I’m a staunch Gene Kelly fan, Jerome Robbins, Bob Fosse etc., and these dancers, under Tharps direction, gave us what the Broadway musical audience yearns for: rhythm, sensuality, talent and hope; hope that great live Broadway dancing is not dead. By the way, it doesn’t seem that anyone commented that “Take Five” was screamingly wonderfully danced. Holy Crap, it was phenomenal! Sure it isn’t a Sinatra piece (as anyone with a brain cell knows, it was classic Bruebeck), but what an emotional number. Rocking, yet emotional. It was music of the period of time that Sinatra made his comeback and the fact that it along with other music was not only brilliant, but gave us a “break” from all of the wonderful Sinatra songs so that when those songs returned, we wanted them even more. Absolutely masterful! So for the two imbeciles who thought the performance was too racey, you had every right to walk out. And the person who thought “tame it down for New York” you should consider visiting other places than Atlanta to just get an idea of what the rest of the world is experiencing. Do you think that Mr. Sinatra was an angel while he was alive…give ma a break.
I would have paid the price of a ticket just to hear the band. But with the dancing, it was the bargain of year. I have told friends on both coasts to see this if it comes to their city or even near their city. You won’t be diappointed.
Ms. Tharp: don’t give up on this! Keep the band and the dancers delivering and never, ever give up on the sound quality!